This man is named Godly-man, and this garment is to show the innocency of his life. Now, those that throw dirt at him are such as hate his well~doing; but, as you see the dirt will not stick upon his clothes, so it shall he with him. that liveth innocently in the world. Whoever they be that would make such men dirty, they labour all in vain; for God, by that a little time is spent, will cause that their innocence shall break forth as the light, and their righteousness as the noonday.
Then they took them, and had them to Mount Charity, where they showed them a man that had a bundle of cloth lying before him, out of which he cut coats and garments for the poor that stood about him; yet his bundle or roll of cloth was never the less. Then said they, What should this be? This is, said the Shepherds, to show you that he who has a heart to give of his labour to the poor shall never want wherewithal. He that watereth shall be watered himself. And the cake that the widow gave to the prophet did not cause that she had the less in her barrel.
They had them also to the place where they saw one Fool and one Want-wit washing an Ethiopian, with an intention to make him white; but the more they washed him the blacker he was. Then they asked the Shepherds what that should mean. So they told them, saying, Thus it is with the vile person: all means used to get such a one a good name shall in conclusion tend but to make him more abominable. Thus it was with the Pharisees; and so shall it he with all hypocrites.
Then said Mercy, the wife of Matthew, to Christiana her mother, Mother, I would, if it might be, see the hole in the hill, or that commonly called the by-way to hell. Sober mother brake her mind to the Shepherds. Then they went to the door. It was on the side of a hill; and they opened it, and bid Mercy hearken awhile. So she hearkened, and heard one saying, Cursed be my father for holding of my feet back from the way of peace and life. Another said, Oh
